conversion from jdm tri-lights to DOT or SAE legal silvia 91.

[xhondaowner]

i've recently imported a silvia 91 over from japan to canada. i'm stuck tho and might even have to sell the car which i really dont wanna do Especially after just gettin the damn thing. so heres what i was told i needed to pass my inspection to get insurance. HEADLIGHTS- not approved (jdm - angled the wrong way) - photo metrics. (lights again)

so now i'm being told i need to buy new lights to fit the inspection requirements. well i dont know if there is such a thing. so i'm wondering if anyone on this forum knows and tomorrow i will call nissan and see what i can dig up with them. chances are bad but i'll wait till the facts are in. i'm really hoping to hear back from at least a few people with some kinda of information about this subject. thanks for reading. ted

[180fan]

You're talkin big bucks to get them right. clear corners used to do stuff like this although for alot of cash. I'm not sure if they're still around but if they are, they can do the job albiet with alot of cash thrown at it.

[bone_stock_240]

I thought that when your car was 15 years or older, you do not need to pass safety or emissions tests in Canada. I thought that is why people are now bringing over the R32. The only modification they have to do is slapping on a right hand drive sticker.

[xhondaowner]

emissions you need in some places. as for saftly. there are so many, that i guess they are taking some of it farther then before. they told me becuase of my lights. i'm pissed cuz there are hundreds of others with this car here now and driving legally and i guess just lately they started telling new imports they need new DOT or SAE approved lights. if i had a 180, i'd say no problem..but this god damn silvia man haha. no one told me this crap and i thought this would be a cake walk.
Modified by xhondaowner at 10:07 AM 1/25/2007

[bone_stock_240]

I found a couple links, which I am sure you already have, but just in case. All the legal mumbo jumbo is confusing. I am an engineer, not a lawyer!!!

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety...e.htm

http://www.riv.ca/

Up until now, I had always been under the impression that as soon as a car was 15 years old, it was fully admissable. Now I see my dream of owning an R32 dissapearing rapidly

These guys have alot of info on requirements and stuff, and are looking to fight the laws

http://forums.gtrcanada.com/

And it turns out clear corners are still around, just the lights are mega expensive like 180 fan said.

http://www.clearcorners.com/products/nissan/240sx1/

[xhondaowner]

hey man, i wouldn't say you can't get it...i just seem to be gettin all the BS in the world with this car. 4 cars came in the container i got my car in. 3 of them were skylines and 1 was well, my silvia. well those 3 skyline's drove to where ever they lived in canada and have been happy as hell driving there cars around everywhere..me, on the other hand. have been crapped on by the laws of bc and probably canada. i've been told i probably have to butcher the lights on my car by taking out the projects i have now and buying some universal ones and just fitting them on somehow. it wont look pretty but it will be legal. just really pisses me off man. i wish i just got a 240sx and dropped an sr20det into it. i would be laughing right now.

[bone_stock_240]

Yeah, I am looking to do the sr20 swap in the spring time. My KA is pushing 275k. Nothing is wrong with it yet, but I just want some more zip. At least you don't have to deal with frigid temperatures out west. -16 without the windchill this morning. I am almost scared to start my car!

[onosqv]

There's a DOT legal setup on the "other forum" titled "How-to: Better S13 Silvia headlights" (nico doesn't let me link)

Basically the HELLA 50mm DOT legal halogens + the custom made adapter, which the dood on there sells, or you can make your own.

Modified by brokeAs240sx at 12:12 PM 1/25/2007
Modified by brokeAs240sx at 12:16 PM 1/25/2007

[xhondaowner]

dude your link doesn't work. i really wanna see what your talking about too. oh and bonestock lol, im fromt toronto and moved out here to bc about 2 years ago. i've heard this year it's been like +6 without snow just until recently. but i know what you mean it can get real cold depending where you are there.

[onosqv]

HAHA, it gets converted automatically by nico - guess they don't want us linking to other forums .

Anyway, Go to 240sx.org dot net, click, go to the Achives & FAQ's section, there is a "How to Better Silvia Lights" thread right on top.

I'd link it to a nico thread, but don't remember finding it on here...

Pics from the 240sx.org dot net thread.

notice the far right light is now the hella light w/ custom bracket (dot legal):



***EDIT: damn, they won't even let me say Zilva dot net.

[onosqv]

Let's see if they let me link to Fresh Alloy:

*EDIT, NOPE!

[xhondaowner]

hahah okay. took me a second to add up all that you wrote. ahh sometimes i'm slow. i'll check it out. thanks
Modified by xhondaowner at 12:45 PM 1/25/2007

[xhondaowner]

wow, that almost made me feel comfortable. it's actually the LENS that needs to be DOT or SAE stamped. something about photo metrics in the lens that angles the light. so i have to find a lense for a JDM car that meets north american standards..which i think is probably impossible. so my next question is....does anyone know of a projector from another car that can easily be modded into a silvia. i've heard old accord's and possible an old cavaler light but i'm not sure.

[onosqv]

wow, that almost made me feel comfortable. it's actually the LENS that needs to be DOT or SAE stamped. something about photo metrics in the lens that angles the light. so i have to find a lense for a JDM car that meets north american standards..which i think is probably impossible. so my next question is....does anyone know of a projector from another car that can easily be modded into a silvia. i've heard old accord's and possible an old cavaler light but i'm not sure.

For projectors, the LENS is the projector lens itself... At least that's what I remembered.

If they are requiring you to have a housing that says DOT, then your f'ed. Just get a 240 front end and swap front ends, will take you like 1 hour.

[xhondaowner]

how much does that cost? im figuring i'm gonna have to go find my local junk yard.

[180fan]

ah yes forgot about the tsx projectors lol